Chapter 107 - 107
"... Hey, don't look at me, I understood only half of what he said, and I am supposed to be the intelligent one," I said after seeing the other people present react badly to what Doctor Fate had said and take a fighting stance.
" Stop, we have no reason to fight with him, he isn't someone we could fight easily, it would only lead to more destruction than necessary, he is protected by Death, so he can carry her will." Doc. Fate said, his back pointed towards me, his emotions told me he would be fighting on my side if necessary.
" He killed a man." Superman, the man I had perceived as having a pure soul, said, his tone serious as his eyes stared at me.
" Joker wasn't a man, he was a monster that tortured the people of this city, we all know that, even Death knew that." Doc. Fate said, his tone still neutral, as he had just stated the obvious.
" That doesn't mean he could j-"
" It does, it means everything, when death itself claims your soul, but somehow you escape several times, punishment will come, he isn't evil, he is the consequence of trying to play with one of the natural forces of this universe."
DAMN, Doc. Fate MVP of this whole discussion for now, coming up with immediate counters with just a word.
" He is right, Superman." Wonder Woman, a demigod Amazonian, is the one I expected to have the least concern about killing someone, and I was right.
" Will you be killing anyone else?" Batman's usual rugged voice asked me, cutting the discussion, and going straight to the point.
"... A few, some of the people in this city are unrepairable, others aren't, do not see me as a monster, I once stopped a celestial being from going crazy just with math, you know?"
The joke didn't stick, not that it was really one.
" Tough crowd it is, regardless, some I will personally help, others I will force put behind bars and make sure they will never be able to escape until their sentence is dealt with, most need a helping hand, their souls cracked by the darkness of this city."
" Why spare some and punish others? Everyone deserves the same judgment."
" Do you see a pedophile at the same level as a thief? I see their actions, what pain they caused, how much their soul has been corrupted, I can see how Victor Fries is just a grieving man trying everything to save his wife, the same way I can see how Cobbelpot is a crimelord with no chance of recuperation, but he hasn't reached a level where death is the only solution, he will spend his life and money repairing the damage he has caused, Scarecrow will be forced to develop an antidote for those he poisoned, Bane will face a similar destiny to Cobblepot, but these are expections, people like the Doll Maker, Hugho Strange, Victor Zsasz, The whole Court of owls, they plagues with no cure, and the only solutions for those is fire."
I could feel it, the tension in the air, the silence before a storm, the stillness of an incoming attack, but I ignored it, for I knew none of them would move, some because they saw my reason, others because they were scared by what Doctor Fate had said, others because they realized that what they had done to protect Gotham to this day might not have been the best way to do so.
" Now then, does this meeting need me to say anything else, or can the cleaning start?"
Silence followed,
" I will take that as a yes."
I raised my hand, a slow, simple movement, a snap followed, my fingers colliding against each other... and the city collapsed
High above, in the sky, a fluorescent panel appeared, a list, an explanation of what each criminal inside of Gotham had done, and why, because a thief that robbed a place out of hunger, isn't the same as someone stealing out of pleasure.
" Batman, I will leave Catwoman to you. I can see a bond shared between you, make her stop stealing, and I won't take any action."
He tightened, but he simply nodded.
" Doctor Queen will be sent to Arkham Asylum after I clean it. Pamela Isly will face the same punishment. Don't worry, she won't be able to control plants until I am here."
The silence broke, screams of anger, pain, and fear spread all around the city. Some faced instant death, some felt all the pain they delivered to their victims, and others were instantly teleported inside prison cells with their minds lobotomized to have only one objective for the rest of their lives. Once accomplished, they would kill themselves.
Some had delicate sentences, like Doctor Queen or Pamela, so they were teleported inside a special room inside Arkham Asylum, the new Arkham Asylum, no more raping vegetative victims, or selling organs of autistic patients.
Honestly, most of the cleaning came from the political side of the city, and the police department, about 40% of the list were policemen, and another 20% were rich people or politicians, 5% of it was part of the Court of Owls.
As the screams rose higher, the spark of divinity that had started forming inside of me rumbled; what had started as a single spark split, for my actions weren't just inspiring the people of this city, they had also brought out a justice no one dared to bring.
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New Divinities: Justice, Hope
Justice: Under your watchful eyes, no criminal will feel safe; the worse the crime they committed, the worse the feeling. Spare them, and they will feel like they should change their ways.
Hope: Under your warm presence, victims will feel safe, they will hope for a better future, and push themself to help others, inspired by your actions more than they thought.
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The screams started decreasing, leaving behind tears, laughs, and smiles, the people I had covered in stone to protect now free and falling to their knees, their minds already aware of what I had caused, my two new divinities plus my previous ones making them see me as their saviour, that no other will ever surpass.
I spun once again towards the heroes of this universe, a smile present on my face.
" Now then, who is ready for a cup of tea made with leaves cultivated by an ancient Sorcerer?"
Costanatine seemed strangely happy at the mention of tea.
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Thanks for the support from everyone. The list is getting quite long, so sorry if I can't keep up with it.
AN: Anyone up for a cup of Tea? Or bohhe ov watta?
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